It seems the
world is getting blacker, fear follows fear,
disaster heaps upon disaster, human life grows
cheaper by the day. Where will it end? How will it
end? What is going to stop this deep-seated threat
to this planet we live on and call home?

Us. We. You. Me. Each of us. One at a time. In our
own minds. In our own thoughts. In our deeds. Our
simple everyday existence. Do good. Think positive.
Envision the light. Darkness cannot fully descend
if we increase the light in the world, now can it?
When could ever darkness fully overtake light? If
there is one candle in the gloaming, there is
light. If there are a hundred, or a thousand, or a
million - there is not only light, there is hope,
there is wonder, there is maybe even our
long-sought peace.

Peace. Can you imagine? Surely war is easier to
arrange than global peace, surely hate is a more
formidable power and force than harmony. Why? When
did we let it become this way? Why? For money and
greed and the pursuit of power by individuals?

Maybe God needs to step in, maybe if we invite Him
to step in, He wouldn't be contravening the pact of
non-intervention He made with the adversary. Let's
try that - I've already 'seen' Angels dancing along
the mountain ridge I can see from up the hill a
bit. Maybe all it would take is a serious
invitation for Him to be our Champion in this
horrific time.

We've always seemed to be on the verge of
destruction, this world. Almost every century that
turns the calendar expects some cataclysmic
occurrence - but never before in our recorded
history have we ever had the equipment and
technology for mass destruction. But, the other
side of that coin, we have also never had the
equipment or technology to do mass good.

These machines, our computers, allow us to speak
directly to each other, without the restrictions of
borders or economic or colour boundaries, to share
our thoughts and hopes and fears and dreams. We are
finding out that the people of other countries are
just like us, with hearts and hopes and fears and
failures just like ours. We are finding out that we
all want to stay alive, to improve our world and
our lives, and the lives of our children. Most of
all, we all want our children to grow up on the
beautiful planet we were given, not in a wasteland
we created for them - if they live to grow up at
all, the way things are going.

What can we do? Is it too late? No, not until the
last one who believes in and lives for peace has
been stilled. No one can steal our thoughts,
whoever the perceived enemy is can not stop us from
saying 'I work for God, to do and be good. Killing
is not good.'

The most powerful thing we can do is not succumb to
fear, to not live in fear of what will come next.
We have to live in each moment as it occurs, do our
best with what we are given, envision a world that
does not always have its inhabitants at each
other's throats, a world that does not burn it's
most precious resources but finds the alternatives
that God gave us. And a world that does not murder
it's own inhabitants.

Even as I say these things, I myself am so very sad
over the explosion this morning of the Space
Shuttle Columbia, it is difficult to even have a
coherent thought, or sit upright, and especially to
not cry. If we all live in despair and sadness and
fear, there is no hope at all for us or our world.
We must, against all odds, picture a better world,
project good thoughts, and do the most good we can
in every day, even when we're sad.

My thoughts and prayers are with the American and
Isreali people, and especially with the families of
the Astronauts who were killed this morning.

<*:0(

Alice

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